TOKYO, Apr 8, 2026 – (JCN Newswire via SeaPRwire.com) – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) and Algomatic Co., Ltd. won second prize at GENIAC-PRIZE,(1) a prize competition organized by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), for a joint project centered on the theme of “Formalizing tacit knowledge in manufacturing.”
MHI and Algomatic jointly submitted a proposal to formalize tacit knowledge by examining videos of expert and novice workers, using TIG welding(2) as an example. TIG welding is a high-quality welding method that underpins a wide range of MHI products, from energy plants to rockets. However, it is difficult to master, with quality and work time varying depending on the skill level of the welder, and skill transfer is an issue. The project proposal involved simply shooting and uploading videos of welding work conducted by expert and novice welders, and having an agent AI automatically analyze the difference. The optimal approach was selected from among multiple analysis modules to extract and illustrate differences in skills, including embodied knowledge, from multiple perspectives. The use of AI allows skills that are difficult to articulate to be systematically accumulated as explicit knowledge, while also enabling technical evaluation and feedback for less skilled welders.
In the manufacturing industry, experienced workers accumulate skills as tacit knowledge, and the communication and standardization of such knowledge has long been an issue. This project, by comparing the work of expert and novice welders, aims to elucidate embodied knowledge, and is expected to contribute to more efficient transfer of skills, and improve productivity in manufacturing. It is an important first step towards practical application of this technology in the future.
Based on its Innovative Total Optimization (ITO) corporate strategy, MHI is working to halve lead times and improve business productivity based on a concept of “overall optimization,” while also establishing material targets for the growth strategy of each business from the perspective of domain expansion. Going forward, MHI will pursue the practical application of this technology, and contribute to the transfer of skills and productivity improvement in manufacturing.
(1) The GENIAC-PRIZE is a prize competition run by NEDO aimed at accelerating the real-world application of generative AI. A total of about 800 million yen is awarded under four themes of “Formalizing tacit knowledge in manufacturing”, “Improving customer support productivity”, “Development of generative AI to streamline administrative review tasks”, and “Development of technologies for risk discovery and mitigation in generative AI”. At the final judging and awards ceremony held on March 24, 2026, 42 projects were awarded prizes from more than 200 entries. See the following website for details.
https://geniac-prize.nedo.go.jp/(Japanese Only)
(2) Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is a type of arc welding using a tungsten electrode and an inert shielding gas such as argon.
About MHI Group
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) Group is one of the world’s leading industrial groups, spanning energy, smart infrastructure, industrial machinery, aerospace and defense. MHI Group combines cutting-edge technology with deep experience to deliver innovative, integrated solutions that help to realize a carbon neutral world, improve the quality of life and ensure a safer world. For more information, please visit www.mhi.com or follow our insights and stories on spectra.mhi.com
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